Many of the radiographic parameters essential to total hip arthroplasty (THA) component performance, such as wear, and stability, can be assessed intraoperatively with fluoroscopy. However even with intraoperative fluoroscopic guidance, the placement of an implant may still not be as close as desired by the surgeon. For example, malpositioning of the acetabular component during hip arthroplasty can lead to problems. For the acetabular implant to be inserted in the proper position relative to the pelvis during hip arthroplasty requires that the surgeon know the position of the patient's pelvis during surgery. Unfortunately, the position of the patient's pelvis varies widely during surgery and from patient to patient.
Various devices have been suggested to reduce malpositioning of these surgical components. For example, a transverse acetabular ligament has been suggested as a qualitative marker of the orientation of the acetabulum. (Archbold H A, et al. The Transverse Acetabular Ligament; an Aid to Orientation of the Acetabular Component During Primary Total Hip Replacement: a Preliminary Study of 1000 Cases Investigating Postoperative Stability, J Bone Joint Surg BR. 2006 July; 88(7):883-7. However, it has been suggested that the acetabulum may be deteriorated due to arthritis. Others have proposed using a tripod device that uses the anatomy of the ipsilateral hemi pelvis as the guide to position the prosthetic acetabular component. U.S. Patent Publication Number 20090306679. This instrument has three points. The first leg is positioned in the area of the posterior inferior acetabulum, a second leg is positioned in the area of the anterior superior iliac spine and a third leg is positioned on the ileum of the subject. U.S. Patent Publication Number 20090306679. However, a need exists in the industry for a device that is not implantable or invasive and is adaptable to a variety of applications.